As a woman (or man) we are responsible for so much!! As a wife, a mother of 5, daughter, sister, friend, employee, trainer and many more, I have a million roles and responsibilities. I have to give each and every role the effort that they all deserve for the outcome that I desire or expect.
But all the roles I mentioned describe who I am to others. It describes my role in their lives. And so many times we get caught up in those various roles and forget about the one person who requires just as much of our attention, if not more, than anyone else in our lives. Ourselves.
It took me awhile to get to the point where I value myself and my needs just as much as I value the needs of the people I love. In all honesty, it was hard to do. I felt selfish. I felt ashamed. I felt undeserving at times. How can I take time out of my day to focus on me when there are others that need me? Rather that time is spent working out, reading a book, taking a drive, or staring at the wall if I see fit. It’s for me.
I received a lot of backlash for doing things that I enjoy, which would determine how I would proceed at times. I had to realize that there is nothing wrong with making sure I’m good and doing something for my own enjoyment. Others had to get with it, or get over it. It’s one of the responsibilities I owe to myself. I no longer look at it as being selfish, regardless of how others may view it. It’s self-love.
Once I began to express self-love I found that I was able to be more present for others. I found that I had time to assess my emotions and feelings. I have found time to pray, meditate, and be one with nature. I’m able to be a better wife, mother, sister, etc. Lastly, I am able to focus on me which is probably the best feeling of them all because for so long I neglected my needs.
Being healthy doesn’t only boil down to food and fitness. It also includes our mental health. If the mental state is not where it needs to be, nothing else is going to fall in place. If we haven’t cleared our minds of all the clutter that keeps us from being the best version of ourselves then we will continue to struggle in the other areas of our lives.
This doesn’t mean you love the people in your life any less. It doesn’t mean your other roles end, although they may change a bit to allow time for yourself. It simply means the role you play in your own life takes on as much responsibility as the others.
Love yourself intensely! ❤
I would love to hear some of the things you do for yourself. Please share some of those things below!
